Summary
In continuing road-safety public-interest proceedings, the Court issued25 directions on institutions, funding, engineering, enforcement and accident care, based on agreed recommendations. The operative directions set specific deadlines for several State bodies and plans while treating other measures as ongoing implementation or recommendations rather than adopting every proposed timetable in the preceding chart.
Issues
- What coordinated institutional and operational measures were required to improve road safety and accident treatment.
- Which deadlines and implementation requirements were imposed by the operative directions.
Held
- States and territories lacking road-safety policies, councils or lead agencies were required to establish the relevant arrangements by31January2018. District committees headed by Collectors and permanent road-safety cells were also required by that date. Councils and district committees must periodically review issues and corrective action. (¶ 17, directions1–3,6,20)
- Remaining road-safety funds and publicly notified action plans were required by31March2018. Fund corpus was to come from traffic-violation fines and be spent on road safety; plans must target accident and fatality reduction. (¶ 17, directions4–5)
- MoRTH must publish the black-spot identification and rectification protocol. Traffic calming and auditor capacity-building were to proceed with the Committee and stakeholders. Design-stage safety audits were ordered for new road projects of5km or more; agreed engineering recommendations were interim directions. (¶ 17, directions7–11)
- States must strictly implement the2017Driving Regulations, acquire traffic-surveillance equipment under the recommended framework and take steps toward special highway patrol forces. MoRTH could issue quarterly2018 reminders on alcohol-related compliance and must expedite speed-governor identification in VAHAN. (¶ 17, directions13–15,17)
- States were directed to seriously consider road-safety education and counselling in school curricula at the earliest. The proposed1April2018 curriculum date was not framed as an absolute operative deadline. No driver-training order was made because the matter was before Parliament. (¶ 17, directions12,16)
- States and territories should take up district trauma centres with necessary facilities and ambulances at the earliest, follow the emergency-treatment directions in Parmanand Katara and publicize the existing108 accident helpline. (¶ 17, directions18–19)
- The notified public-service vehicle tracking requirement, including exceptions, was to be implemented as widely and quickly as possible with Ministry assistance. Existing bus/truck codes, ABS, airbags, headlight and crash-test notifications required faithful implementation; this judgment did not impose a new all-vehicle GPS mandate. (¶ 17, directions22–25)
- The directions supplement earlier orders. States and territories may approach the Committee on Road Safety for clarification in implementation; the matter remained pending. (¶ 18–21)
Result
Road-safety directions issued to supplement earlier orders; further proceedings listed for7February2018. Implementation doubts may be referred to the Committee on Road Safety.